1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector cover adapted to be attached to an electrical junction box mounted in automobile or other vehicles, and to a junction box unit provided with the same connector cover.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automobiles or other vehicles generally incorporate various electrical and electronic components including lamps such as a headlight and a taillight, electrical motors such as a starter motor and a motor for an air conditioning unit.
In order to power or provide electricity to these electrical or electronic components, junction blocks are provided at predetermined locations in the automobiles. The junction block integrates a set of electrical circuit units including a number of fuses and relays.
Since the junction block may comprise fuses, relays, and busbars, it may be referred to as a fuse block, a relay box, or more generically an electrical junction box. Also, in this document, the fuse blocks, relay boxes, and junction blocks are generically referred to as the electrical junction box.
The electrical junction box comprises a body defining its outer shape and a busbar provided inside of the body. The electric or electronic components such as relays, fuses, and a power integration unit incorporating the relays and fuses are mounted to the body.
A connector of a wiring harness is connected to a lower surface of the body, the connectors being connected to various electronic components mounted in the automobile. A power cable that is connected to a battery or a generator is also connected to the body.
The body includes a space defined such that the power integration unit is accommodated therein. Provided in this space is a securing element adapted to secure the power integration unit. Also, other connectors of the wiring harness are connected to a lower surface of the power integration unit.
The busbar is adapted to electrically connect the power cable, electric components such as the fuses, relays, and power integration unit, and terminals of the connectors of the wiring harness, and the various electronic components to each other in accordance with predetermined patterns.
Electricity from a power source is fed to the electrical junction box via the power cable, and the electrical junction box distributes the electricity among the various electronic components via the fuses, relays, and power integration unit and via the electrical wires of the wiring harness or harnesses.
A power integration unit serving as one of the electric components may be attached to the above sate of the art electrical junction box on an automotive assembly line. In such a case, the junction box unit, which is in a state where electric components other than the power integration unit and the connectors of the wiring harness are attached to the body, is conveyed to the automotive assembly line, the connectors of a desired wiring harness or harnesses are connected to the power integration unit on the automotive assembly line, and then the power integration unit is attached to the body, and thus the electrical junction box is assembled into a finished product.
The connector that has to be attached to the power integration unit may reside deep inside of or at the bottom of the electrical junction box, causing difficulty in pulling it out of the junction box. Further, the connectors of the wiring harness are connected to a large number of the terminals of the electrical wires. As a result, the electrical wires may get tangled with each other while the connectors that are to be attached to the power integration unit are accommodated in the body, and in the automotive assembly line, which hinders smooth mounting of the power integration unit to the electrical junction box.
In order to address this problem, the inventor of the present invention advocates a connector cover configured to hold the connectors, provisionally secured to the section of the body where the power integration unit is mounted, and previously position the connectors to be attached to the power integration unit, the positioning being defined with respect to the body. The connectors cover of this type need to be readily detachable from the body in order to facilitate mounting of the power integration unit on the automotive assembly line.